Bowling-alley.



'Patented- Nnv. ls, |900. H. BLOuTH.. BOWLING ALLEY. (Application mea Aug. 1o, 1900.)

(No Model.)

No. 661,903. Patented Nov; I3, |9oo.

H. BLouTH.

BOWLING ALLEY.

(Application led Aug. 10, 1900.) (No Model.) A 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

No. 661,903. Patented Nov. I3, |900. H. BLUTH.

BOWLING ALLEY.

xApplcation led Aug. 10, 1900.;

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

IV. G

'yv/TNESSES .I

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No. 66|,9o3. Patented Nav; n3, |909,

l H. B LouTH.

BOWLING ALLEY.

(Application led Aug. 10, 1990.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

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W/TNESSES /NVENTOH u E11/ffy ldav A TTOHNE YS 1H: nonms PETERS do, Nom-mwa. wAsNINaToN. u. c4

NITED STATES PATENT FFIC.

IIENRYBLOU'lI-I, OF WILMINGTON, DELAVARE.

BOWLING-ALLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 661,903, dated November 13, 1900 Application filed August l0, 1900 derial No. 26,506. KNO model-l To fl/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BLOUTH, residing at yVilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention is an improvement in bowling-alleys, and has for an object, among others, to provide a device for conveniently resetting the pins which have been knocked flown, for indicating to the players the pins which have been knocked down, and for re.- turning to the players the balls which have not been thrown with suicient force to travel entirely up the incline leading to the ball-returningtrough; and theinvention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a bowling-alley embodying my invention, parts being removed and others shown in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the main frame for supporting the pins and the guidepulleys for the cords leading therefrom. Fig. 3 is a sectional top plan view on about line 3 3 ot' Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the common drag-bar to which several pin-adjusting li-nes are secured. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view, partly in section, of the ball-elevating carriage and the device on which it operates. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on about line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the pins and the parts directly connected therewith. Figs. 8, 9, l0, and 1l are detail sectional views on about respectively lines S 8, 9 9, l0 10, and ll ll of Fig. 7. Fig. 121s a diagrammatic side elevation of a bowlingalley embodying my invention. Fig. 13 is a vertical top plan view of the bowling-alley. Fig. 14 is a detail rear perspective view, partly in section, of the indicator; and Fig. 15 is a detail perspective view illustrating the lines leading to the weights.

The pins A are alike and are supported alike, so the description of one will answer for all. As shown in Figs. 7, l, and 12, the pin A does not rest upon the floor B of the .bowling-alley, but is suspended so it hangs above such floor and suiciently near thereto to be struck by a ball properly directed along the said door. The pin is suspended from a rod C, swiveled at its upper end to the baseplate D of a swiveled nut D', which is shown as connected at E' to a counterbalancingcord E. 'Ihe base-plate D of the nut D forms a circular projecting flange for engagement by the latch F, presently described, and the pin A is suspended universally at the lower end of the rod C by means ol the link connection at C', as best shown in Fig. 7. By the described construction the nut D and rod C form a hanger for the pin, and the pin is free to swing at its lower end in any direction and its upper end at A is extended squarely in a lateral direction, so it will rise at one point whenever the pin is so swu ng. This elevating operation of one edge of the upper end of the pin A may cause it to bear against the under `side of the plate G' at the lower end of a tube G, which encircles the rod C, and is arranged at its upper end to operate upon the latch F and release said latch from engagement with the plate D, which is connected with the rod C, so the plate D, the rod C, and the pin A connected thereto may be lifted by the counterbalancing devices presently described whenever the pin A is struck by the ball and tilted thereby to cause it to elevate the tube G. This operation will be understood from Fig. 7, in which the latch F is shown as having a hook F' to engage the plate D and pivoted at F2, with a portionY F3 in position for engagement by the upper end of the tube G when the latter is elevated by the pin, as before described. The pin and the devices connected thereto being freed at this time will be raised by the weight E2, carried on the pulley I and depending thence, as shown.

By the described construction it will be seen that the counterbalancing-weights are never directly held, but exert a constant tension upon the hangers for the pins, the restraining means or detents being engaged with said hangers and not with the weights. Consequently the springs exert a constant tension on the pins, and the pins are therefore held and balanced more delicately than they would be if suspended by their gravity and will respond much more quickly when struck by the balls in operation.

In the speciic construction of the alley I IOO provide a main frame which has aV base-grating, as shown in Fig. 3, composed ofthe side,

"porting the upright-s K at points on opposite sides of the said pins, as shown in Fig 3. The top of the main frame has the longitudinal bars J2, to which the guide-bars K are secured at their upper ends and which also support the bearings for the guide-pulleys I as shown in Figs. l, 2, and l2.-

The guide-bars K are of T-shaped metal and have the inwardly-projecting wings K', over which tit the slotted ends of the lugs G2, which extend laterally from the base-plate G' of the tubes G, so the said base-plate and its attached tube can slide vertically and will be held in proper position at its lower end throughout its vertical movement. The upper end of the tube G operates through the central ring L' in the support L for the latch F, such support having lateral 'arms L2, which are secured at their outenends to the inwardly-projecting wings K' of the'guide-'hars L, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9; The tube G, it. will be noticed, after releasing the latch F slides upward through the ring L' from thel position shown in connection with the low# ered pin in Fig. l to that shown in connection with the pin which has been elevated in said figure, the latch and its support 'remaining in the same placed uringsnch operation, as will be understood from Fig. Al. The latch F has its portion F3 made in 'the fform oi' a loop or ring, which extends some dist-ance from the pivot F2, and is connected 'at its 'outer end with a counterbalancing-line F4, leading over the pulley F5, and provided with aweight F6, whose purpose is to slightly countero'ala ance the weight of the portion F2 o't the latch and so render the 'operation of such latch easier. The latch is provided at f with aportion arranged for 'engagement by the upper end of the tube Gfor the purpose of release:

ing the latch. This will be best understood by reference to Fig. l0, in which the latch l'is shown in fulll lines in Y-lartchedy position and the tube G is lowered yto the position show'n in Fig. 7. If now'the tube be raised vslightly by the tilting of the pin A, the upper 'end ot thetube G will `strike against the bearing portion for the latch and will tilt the latch to the position =shown in Vdotted lines in Fig. 10, releasing the latch from engagement with the plate D of the rod C, so the 'said ro'd 'andv the pin, together with the tube Gr,"can be ele'- vated by the weight E2, as'b'efoij'e described. The nut D' is guided in its 'vertical` move'- ments by a transverse curved bar M, leading therefrom and bearing against the giifidefbars K,a's shown in Figs. aud 8 of the drawings.

From the above description it 'will be under'- stood that each pin'operates independently alley, 'as shown.

of the others, and Vif a ball be operated toA release one, two, o'r more of the`pins each and every pin so released will move upward outI of the way of the succeeding balls. To readjustthe pins, I connectwith'the weights E2 or with the lines leading therefrom to the pins the readjusting-lines N, one of which is provided in connection with each pin and all of which lead to a drag-bar O, which is common to all ot' the pins and is connected by a line O' with a lever O2, which can be operated to readj ust one, two, or more ot' the pins, according to the number which have been displaced by the throw or throws of the operator. The drag-bar O is movable longitudinally in guides P, supported on a T shaped bar P', which may be Asupported at P2 on the wall or otherstructure. The depending wing P2 of the bar P' is provided at P4 with aserie's of perforations for. the lines Q, which lead from suitable connection with the `weights E2 to the weights Q' of the indicator Q2, which is located convenient tothe point ot' play and may be constructed,as shown in Figple, with guides Q3 and Q4, over which the lines Q lead to the weights Q'. As will be u-nderstood'from Figs. l2 and 14,the weights Q' when the pins are all set will occupy a position relative to each other corresponding to the positions ofthe pins. Then as each pin or pins are struckby vthe ball and knocked out of position the "corresponding weight Q' will be raised through the action of the line Q 'and so indicate with certainty to the operators just how many pins have been knocked down and which v`vof the ten 'pins are still standing.

After the lever O2 is drawn forward to reset the pin orpins that may havel'ie'en raised by thefoperation before 'described such lever O2 is pushed backto the positionsho'wn in Fig. 12,the lines N being 'then slack between the points where they 'connect with the 'drag-har O and the lpoints where they areconnected with the vlines Q, which lead 'to the indicator.

When the hall is thrown along the door B, it will pass along the rear end ot' the alley up the incline B' and if thrown with sufficient force will be discharged at the upper end B2 of 'the incline B' into the transverse trough B2, which leads to the return -trough B4, which inclines toward the front end ot' the It "frequently happens that the ball-is not thrown with sulicientiorce to ride up t'o the top o'f the incl-ine B', but will roll back lonto the alley. To avoid this, I provide at ya shortdistanee above the lower iend of the incline B' a gapor breakat R, over which the balls thrown with suflici'ent force will jump, while those 'thrown with V'less force will 'drop through the gap R into the trough R', which inclines toward one side-ofthe alley `and discharges the ball to a carriage S, which travel'sbn a suit-able way .T-, which inclines upward toward an upwardly-'opening gap U vin 'the base of the return-trough B4, so the balls 'can be elevated by the carri-age S from the trough R' into the trough B4 'and roll IIO TIS

thence back to the operator.' For elevating the carriage S, I provide a line V, leading over suitable guides to an operat-ing-leverVQ arranged in a convenient position for the players.

The carriage S is preferably formed, as

shown in Fig. 5, with a suitable frame having rollers S' and S2, which operate above and below the traclcrail T, the carriage having at its front end the upright bars S3, lying on opposite sides of the rail T in position to bear against the ball and cause the same to roll upward along the rail T as the carriage is elevated by the device before described. By this means I insure the return automatically to the players of every ball thrown along the alley past the point where the pins are supported.

The upright bars S3 form a bed against which the ball rests, and this bed is pivoted at S4 (see Fig. 5) at a point above its lower end, forming the upper arm against which the ball rests and which is provided with a roller S5 and the lower arm, to which the line V is connected. This bed when in normal position rests back against stops S'i on the carriage-frame, but can tilt forward, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5. It is evident from Figs. 5 and 12 that the portion of the bed S3 above the stops S6 supports the ball, and in case the carriage has been raised to lift one hall and another ball drops below the carriage while the latter is still elevated the pivotal connection S4 of the bed S3 will permit the bed to swing forward at its upper end and pass under the ball, this operation being facilitated by the roller S5 rolling under the ball. p

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new', and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. 'lhe combination of the pins,hangers suspending` the same, counterbalancing devices for said pins, and restraining devices engaging said hangers for holding the pins against the action of their counterbalancing devices, and arranged to be released substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the pins, the hangers therefor comprising rods connected, with the pins and plates for engagement by the latches, the counterbalancing devices, the latches engaging said plates, and the tubes encircling the hanger-rods and arranged at their upper ends to release the latches from engagement with the plates, and at their lower ends for operation by the pins substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the pins, the counterbalancing devices therefor, the restraining means, the mechanism for releasing said restraining means and including a tube arranged at its lower end for operation by the upperend of the pin when the latter is struck, and guides for the said tube, such guides being extended practically to the lower end of the tube when the latter is in its lowermost position whereby to hold the said end of the 'tube from lateral displacement bythe movement of the pin when the latteris struck, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the framing having upright guide-bars, the pin movable longitudinally between said bars, the counterbalancing devices, the hanger between the same and the pin, the latch between the upright guidebars and arranged to engage the hanger, and the latch-releasing tube having its lower end arranged for operation by the pin and provided at such end with means engaging and slidable along the upright guide-bars substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the framing having upright guide-bars, the pin, the hanger therefor, a guide-bar IWI at the upper end of said hanger and engaging the said guide-bars, the connterbalancing devices, the latch for restraining the same, and the tube encircling the hanger and arranged at its lower end for operation bythe pin and having at such end means engagingwith and slidable along the upright guidebars substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a bowling-alley of the framing the counterbalancing-weight suspended freely, the pin suspended freely, in-

termediate connections between the weight and pin, and latch devices arrangedto opererate upon said intermediate connections and arranged to be released through the movement of the pin substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the pin, the counterbalancing devices connected therewith, the hanger for the pin having a bearing for engagement by the latch, the latch having an upright portion arranged to engage the bearing of the hanger, and pivoted at the base of such upright and having a laterally-extended base, and the releasing device arranged to engage such base and adapted for operation by the pin substantially as set forth.

8. In a bowling-alley, the combination of pins, the rods connected therewith and to which the pins are universally jointed, swiveled connections at the upper ends of said rods, the counterbalancing-weights having their lines connected with the swiveled connections, the latches arranged to engage the swiveled connections, and the tubes encircling the rods and arranged at their lower ends for operation by the pins and at their upper ends to release the latches when the pins are operated, substantially as set forth.

9. In a bowling-alley, the combination of the pins, the counterbalancing devices for elevating the same, latches by which to restrain the operation of the counterbalancing devices and independent counterbalancing devices for the latches, substantially as set forth. i

l0. The combination in a bowling-alley, of the frame having upright rods, the pins, the counterbalancing devices therefor,tl1e latches for restraining the said counter-balancing devices, the supports for said latches secured ICO YIO

at their ends to vthe uprights of the frame and having at their middles ring-like guide por tions, andthe tubes for releasing the latches, said tubes being .guided at their upper ends in the ring-like vguides of the latch-supports and at their lower ends by the uprights of the framing and a-rranged at such lower ends lfor engagement and operation by the lpins and at its lower end for operationby the pin,

substantially as vset forth.

12. In a bowling-alley, the combination of the pins arranged to move vertically and means for so moving the pins, and the frame having a base-grating provided with bars 4or slats arranged to extend between the pins and ranging diagonally with respect to the direction of the length of the alley, su bstantially as set forth.

13. In a bowling-.alley the combination-su bi stantial-ly as described, of the vertically-movable pins, counterbalancing devices for elevating the pins when struck, the .indicator having weights corresponding to the pins and connections between the weights of the in-v dicator and :the counter-balancing devices whereby the indicator-can be operated correspondingly to the pins', substantially as set: forth.

14. In a bowling-alley, the combination of the ball floor or-bed of the alley having an in- `cline in rear of the pins said incline being inclined Iupwardly from front to rear and provided in said incline with a gap lead-ing toa trough below the incline, a carriage for receiving the balls from said, trough and the ball-return trough or run to which the balls may be discharged by such carriage, su bstantially as set forth.

and vbelow which said wheels operate, substantially as set forth.

16. In a bowling-alley the combination with .the ball-returning troughor-run having a gate arranged to open and close and a carriage adapted `to elevate the balls-anddisc'harge the same through such gateinto the return trough 4or run, substantially asset forth.

.substantially as set -forth.

1'8. A carriage for elevating the balls `of a bowling-alley.comprising a frame and a pivyoted ybed against which the balls may rest and which can tilt or rock on its pivot to pass un- 1der a ball below it, and 4atrack or wayfor :such carriage substantially asset forth.

19. In a bowling-alley the combination of thecarriage-frame having stops, and the bed for the balls, the bed being pivoted to said frame and abutting said stops and having an arm for connection with the drag-line and the drag-line substantially as set forth.

20. In a 'bowling-alley, the combination of the ball-floor, the ball-returning trough and Va carriage for `elevating the balls -to said trough, such carriageha'ving apivoted bed against which the balls may rest substantially as set forth.

21. In a bowling-alley a 'ball returning mechanism comprising an inclined track, and a carriage movable thereon and vhaving a pivoted bed against which the ball may rest substantially as set forth.

HENRY BLOUTH. Witnesses:

,WILBUR L. SAssE,

EUGENE MoDERMoTT. 

